Demon Slayer: The Tenth Hashira with Dōjutsu

"The Strange Sound Hashira"

Upper Moon Three, Akaza, was ranked third among the Upper Moons. Those above him, Upper Moons Two and One, were undoubtedly stronger.

However, Upper Moon Three's strength was already near that of Himejima Gyomei, the strongest Hashira.

If the other two Upper Moons were only slightly stronger, the difference wouldn't be insurmountable.

But if Upper Moons Two and One were significantly stronger than Upper Moon Three, it would be a devastating blow to the Demon Slayer Corps.

Aoki had previously encountered Muzan Kibutsuji, whose combat power exceeded 7000, far surpassing even the strongest Hashira.

Aoki sensed that Muzan Kibutsuji wasn't at his peak then. This indicated the demons possessed far greater strength than the Demon Slayer Corps.

Aoki often saw himself as the protagonist, but even he couldn't guarantee the Demon Slayer Corps' victory over the demons.

Within the Demon Slayer Corps, his strength had increased the fastest, followed by Tanjiro and his companions.

Therefore, he believed his Seventh Squad could be crucial in helping the Corps defeat the demons, should a decisive battle occur.

After his full recovery, Aoki resumed his role as captain of the Seventh Squad. Rengoku Kyōjurō, perhaps enjoying his time as temporary captain, formed his own squad with three promising recruits, simply named the Rengoku Squad.

This created a heated debate within the Demon Slayer Corps. Although the Seventh Squad was formed earlier, Rengoku Kyōjurō's established reputation meant the Rengoku Squad had more supporters.

Aoki and Rengoku Kyōjurō remained unconcerned. Their focus was demon slaying, not internal competition. They ignored the discussions.

It's worth noting that the Seventh Squad effectively had two leaders: Aoki, the official captain, and Shinobu Kocho, who remained steadfastly by his side.

One day, the Seventh Squad returned from a successful demon-slaying mission. Due to an unforeseen incident, Zenitsu had sustained a minor but potentially infectious wound, necessitating a visit to the Butterfly Mansion.

Shinobu Kocho was summoned by Kagaya Ubuyashiki and wasn't present. The four members of the Seventh Squad proceeded to the Butterfly Mansion.

"Please let me go! Please let me go!"

As they approached the mansion, they heard a frantic voice.

"You're awfully noisy. Shut your mouth," Tengen Uzui's impatient voice followed.

They found Tengen Uzui carrying Suma, a key member of the Butterfly Mansion, on his shoulder, with another attendant under his arm.

Behind him were Kanao Tsuyuri and the remaining two attendants, their faces filled with anxiety, the younger two in tears.

"Kanao… Kanao-sama! Help me!" Suma cried out, desperately seeking help from Kanao Tsuyuri, but even she couldn't hope to defeat a Hashira.

While Tengen Uzui's actions were inappropriate, they weren't against Corps rules. If Kanao Tsuyuri intervened, she would be in the wrong.

However, Suma was her comrade. Although she knew she couldn't defeat Tengen Uzui, she felt compelled to act.

As always, her trembling hand reached for the coins she used to make decisions.

"Follow your heart."

She remembered Tanjiro's advice: to trust her instincts and make her own judgment.

"Kanao… Kanao-sama! Help me!" Suma's pleas echoed in her ears.

Kanao Tsuyuri clenched her jaw, stepped forward, and grabbed Suma's hand and the attendant held under Tengen Uzui's arm.

"Don't just hang on. You received the order, didn't you?" Tengen Uzui said irritably.

He believed lower-ranking members should simply obey orders, even Kanao Tsuyuri, despite her connection to Shinobu Kocho.

He hadn't taken Kanao Tsuyuri because of that connection, but that wasn't the point.

Just as Tengen Uzui was about to strike, a powerful hand seized his arm, stopping him.

"Hey, hitting girls isn't glamorous or like you, Uzui," Aoki said, his shorter stature making the scene somewhat comical.

"Aoki? What's the meaning of this?" Tengen Uzui narrowed his eyes. Everyone knew about Aoki and Shinobu Kocho's relationship.

This was Shinobu Kocho's territory; Aoki had every right to intervene.

"These girls aren't stepdaughters, so I don't need Shinobu's permission to take them," Tengen Uzui said coolly.

"Are you kidding me? I'm practically the co-head of the Butterfly Mansion. When Shinobu's not here, I make the decisions. You need my permission to take them," Aoki retorted.

"And, as you said, you don't need Shinobu's permission to take them, so I can take them back from you without her permission, right?" Aoki added.

Tengen Uzui felt a wave of oppressive pressure, though it had no effect on Aoki.

"What's that supposed to mean? Are you challenging me to a fight?" Tengen Uzui's tone was frigid as he released Suma and the attendant.

"I wouldn't mind a fight. I hear you were a ninja. Let's compare skills," Aoki said, his eyes transforming into three-tomoe Sharingan, a smirk playing on his lips.

The atmosphere grew heavy with tension.

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